1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for locking the cover of a container intended to be emptied by tilting more than 90.degree., such as a garbage can or dumpster for waste collection.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, dumpsters for waste collection tend to remain periodically on the public right-of-way, to be emptied by tilting into a collecting vehicle. The dumpsters are then left unattended, and it may happen that they will be picked over. This may be dangerous, depending on the kind of waste contained in them.
Moreover, free access to the interior of the dumpsters may enable third parties to fill them with unsuitable waste, thereby possibly denaturing the contents in the case of selective collection, or adding to the user's expense if the collection is charged for.
Locking devices for locking the cover of the dumpster when it is upright and waiting to be emptied, and unlocking it when it is being emptied, have already been proposed to solve these problems. For example, French Patent No. 2 721 912 to the assignee describes a locking device comprising a pivoting part pivotably mounted on the dumpster body inside a protective casing. When the container is upright, this pivoting part assumes a locked position in which it keeps the cover in closed position. When the container is tilted for emptying, the pivoting part, by force of gravity, moves from its locked position to an unlocked position.
Also, German Utility Model No. 295 11 098 U discloses a device for locking the cover of a container, comprising a pivoting part directly engaging the plastic of the upper rim of the container, which may cause wear. In addition, this prior art device comprises unlocking means attached to the cover, so that it is exposed to major impacts when the cover is opened or closed. Furthermore, the pivoting part comprises an upper arm and a lower arm, and the unlocking means comprises a key mechanism either pulling on the upper arm or resting on the lower arm near the geometrical axis of rotation of the pivoting part. In either case, the force exerted on the pivoting part is rather great, making the key mechanism rather difficult to operate.